JP5356944B2 - Optical fiber connecting component and optical module using the same - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical fiber connecting component for mechanically and optically connecting an optical fiber to a photoelectric conversion module in which a light emitting element, a light receiving element and the like are provided on a substrate, and an optical module using the same. .

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a technique for transmitting a large-capacity digital signal at high speed has become widespread in order to transmit a large-capacity photograph or video at high speed between devices such as computers and liquid crystal displays. In recent years, development of an optical interconnection method using an optical fiber as a transmission path between devices such as a computer, a liquid crystal display, a video camera, and a data recorder has been advanced in order to transmit a large-capacity digital signal at high speed.

  As an optical interconnection system, for example, there is a system in which devices are connected by an optical cable in which a connector including a photoelectric conversion module is connected to an end portion of a composite cable having an optical fiber and a signal line (metal line). Used (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In such an optical cable, at the connection portion between the composite cable and the connector, the end face of the optical fiber in the composite cable is connected to an optical element such as a light emitting element or a light receiving element provided on a substrate in the photoelectric conversion module. They are connected via connecting parts (for example, see Patent Document 2).

  Conventionally, as an optical fiber, for example, as shown in FIGS. 24A and 24B, a low Young's modulus layer (inner coating layer) 242 having a Young's modulus of 10 MPa or less around a core 240 and a clad 241, a Young's modulus of 100 MPa. A single optical fiber 244 coated with the above high Young modulus layer (outer coating layer) 243 and a plurality of the single optical fibers 244 arranged in a line (in parallel), and then a high Young modulus layer (coating with a Young's modulus of 100 MPa or more) A multi-core optical fiber (tape-like optical fiber) 246 covered with a layer 245 is used.

  The single-core optical fiber 244 or the multi-core optical fiber 246 is formed into a connector by joining a terminal portion to a ferrule (optical fiber connection component), and the tip of the connector is optically connected to an optical element or another optical fiber. Used for.

  When a conventional optical fiber is made into a connector, the optical fiber is inserted into a ferrule. As shown in FIG. 25, an ordinary ferrule 250 is provided on one end side of the ferrule 250, and has an optical fiber insertion hole 251 having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter including the coating layer of the single-core optical fiber 244, and a single-core light. The fiber 244 has an inner diameter that is about the outer diameter of the clad 241 (slightly larger than the outer diameter of the clad 241), and communicates with a light incident / exit hole 253 through which light enters and exits at the end face of the other end 252 of the ferrule. Is provided. The optical fiber insertion hole 251 and the light incident / exit hole 253 are concentric.

  FIG. 26 shows a ferrule 250 of FIG. 25 joined with a single-core optical fiber 244. In the ferrule 250, an optical fiber composed of the core 240 and the clad 241 from which the coating (the low Young's modulus layer 242 and the high Young's modulus layer 243 in FIG. 24A) is removed is provided at the other end 252 of the ferrule 250. After being put into the light incident / exit hole 253, it is fixed with an adhesive 260. Thereafter, the light incident / exit end surface 261 of the ferrule 250 is polished. The ferrule 250 may have a rectangular shape other than the circular shape as shown in FIG.

  The same applies to the case of the multi-core optical fiber 246. The high Young's modulus layer 245 covering the multi-core optical fiber 246 is removed, and after the single-core separation, the number of the single-core optical fibers 244 is punched. The terminal processing is performed in the same manner as in FIG.

JP 2006-310197 A JP 2007-256372 A

  However, the light incident / exit hole 253 of the ferrule 250 into which the single-core optical fiber 244 with the coating removed is inserted is larger than the outer diameter of the optical fiber with the coating removed (the outer diameter of the cladding), and is shown in FIG. Thus, every time the position of the end face of the optical fiber is inserted with respect to the opening of the light entrance / exit hole 253 facing the light entrance / exit end face 261 of the ferrule 250, there is a concern that variations occur. Therefore, a complicated and troublesome work is required to arrange the end face of the optical fiber (core, clad) with high accuracy. That is, there is a problem that the reproducibility of the product is poor.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an optical fiber connecting component capable of easily and reproducibly arranging an end face of an optical fiber at a predetermined position on one end face of a ferrule, and an optical module using the same.

The present invention was devised to achieve the above object, and is formed of a ferrule and a tape-like light inserted from one end side of the ferrule, which is formed so as to penetrate from one end side to the other end surface of the ferrule. an optical fiber connection component including a guide hole for guiding the fiber to the end face of the other end of the ferrule, wherein the guide hole is formed at one end of said ferrule, said tape-shaped optical fibers of the ferrule An optical fiber insertion hole to be inserted into the inside, and a cross section formed on the other end side of the ferrule and having an inner diameter smaller than that of the optical fiber insertion hole, for allowing light to enter and exit at the end face on the other end side of the ferrule a square-shaped light incident and exit holes, is disposed between the optical fiber insertion hole and the optical input and output holes, toward the light incident and exit holes, whose inner diameter gradually The shape change hole includes a shape change hole that allows the optical fiber insertion hole and the light incident / exit hole to communicate with each other, and the shape change hole has a center axis of the light incident / exit hole. It is changing the shape so as to be positioned displaced in a direction to restrain the tape-shaped optical fiber with respect to the central axis of the fiber insertion hole, and the inclination angle of the circumferential respect to the insertion direction of the tape-shaped optical fibers of the inner surface The tape-shaped light is characterized in that the center position of the optical fiber insertion hole is different from the center position of the light incident / exit hole in the thickness direction and the width direction of the tape-shaped optical fiber. It is an optical fiber connection component for a fiber.

The optical fiber insertion hole is a vertical surface that guides the tape-shaped optical fiber to be inserted vertically, and a surface that faces the vertical surface, and is arcuate from the light incident / exit hole to one end of the ferrule. an arc surface formed on, may have.

The guide hole, the direction of the cross section perpendicular to the insertion direction of the tape-shaped optical fiber may be made of rectangular shape.

  The ferrule may have a lens integrally formed on the end surface on the other end side.

  The ferrule may be formed of a material that transmits UV light.

  The ferrule may be formed with a hole or a pin for joining to the substrate on the end face on the other end side.

  The ferrule may have a plurality of the guide holes.

In the tape-shaped optical fiber, the coating layer at the tip located on the other end side of the ferrule is removed, and each optical fiber constituting the tape-shaped optical fiber is separated at the tip, and the tape-like optical fiber is separated. The position of each core of the optical fiber may be constrained collectively at one corner of the light incident / exit hole.
The present invention also includes an optical module for a tape-shaped optical fiber , comprising: the optical fiber connection component; and a tape-shaped optical fiber inserted into a guide hole formed in the optical fiber connection member. It is.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the optical fiber connection component which can arrange | position the end surface of an optical fiber easily and with sufficient reproducibility in the predetermined position of the one end surface of a ferrule, and an optical module using the same can be provided.

It is a figure which shows the optical fiber connection component which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention, (a) is a top view, (b) is a front view, (c) is a side view, (d) is a three-dimensional view, e) is a bottom view. It is a figure which shows the optical module which joined the optical fiber of FIG. 24 (a) to the optical fiber connection component of FIG. 1, (a) is a top view, (b) is a front view, (c) is a side view, (d ) Is a three-dimensional view, (e) is a bottom view, and (f) is an enlarged view of the main part. It is a figure which shows the optical module which joined the optical fiber of FIG. 24 (a) to the optical fiber connection component of FIG. 1, (a) is a top view, (b) is AA sectional view, (c) is B FIG. It is a figure which shows the optical fiber used for this invention, (a) is a cross-sectional view of a single core optical fiber, (b) is a cross-sectional view of a multi-core optical fiber. 4A and 4B are views showing an optical module in which the optical fiber of FIG. 4A is joined to the optical fiber connection component of FIG. 1, wherein FIG. 4A is a top view, FIG. 4B is a front view, FIG. ) Is a three-dimensional view, (e) is a bottom view, and (f) is an enlarged view of the main part. 4A and 4B are diagrams illustrating an optical module in which the optical fiber of FIG. 4A is joined to the optical fiber connection component of FIG. 1, wherein FIG. 4A is a top view, FIG. FIG. It is a figure explaining the conditions by which an optical fiber is restrained by a ferrule when the optical fiber of Fig.4 (a) is inserted in the optical fiber connection component of FIG. It is a figure which shows the optical module which joined the optical fiber to the optical fiber connection component which formed the lens in the bottom face of the ferrule of FIG. 1, (a) is a top view, (b) is a front view, (c) is a side view, (D) is a three-dimensional view, and (e) is a bottom view. It is a figure which shows the optical module which joined the optical fiber to the optical fiber connection component of FIG. 8, (a) is a top view, (b) is an AA sectional view. It is a figure which shows the optical fiber connection component which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention, (a) is a top view, (b) is a three-dimensional view, (c) is a front view, (d) is a side view, e) is a bottom view. It is a figure which shows the optical module which joined the optical fiber to the optical fiber connection component of FIG. 10, (a) is a top view, (b) is a three-dimensional view, (c) is a front view, (d) is a side view, e) is a bottom view. It is a figure which shows the optical module which joined the optical fiber to the optical fiber connection component of FIG. 10, (a) is a bottom view, (b) is a BB sectional view, (c) is an AA sectional view. is there. It is a figure which shows the optical fiber connection component which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention, (a) is a top view, (b) is a three-dimensional view, (c) is a front view, (d) is a side view, e) is a bottom view. It is a figure which shows the optical module which joined the optical fiber to the optical fiber connection component of FIG. 13, (a) is a top view, (b) is a three-dimensional view, (c) is a front view, (d) is a side view, e) is a bottom view. It is a figure which shows the optical fiber connection component which concerns on the 4th Embodiment of this invention, (a) is a top view, (b) is a three-dimensional view, (c) is a front view, (d) is a side view, e) is a bottom view. It is a figure which shows the optical module which joined the optical fiber to the optical fiber connection component of FIG. 15, (a) is a top view, (b) is a three-dimensional view, (c) is a front view, (d) is a side view, e) is a bottom view, and (f) is an enlarged view of part A. It is a figure which shows the optical module which joined the optical fiber to the optical fiber connection component of FIG. 15, (a) is a bottom view, (b) is a BB sectional view, (c) is an AA sectional view. is there. It is a figure which shows the optical module which joined the optical fiber to the optical fiber connection component of FIG. 15, (a) is a top view, (b) is a three-dimensional view, (c) is a front view, (d) is a side view, e) is a bottom view, and (f) is an enlarged view of part A. It is a figure which shows the optical fiber connection component which concerns on the 5th Embodiment of this invention, (a) is a top view, (b) is a three-dimensional view, (c) is a front view, (d) is a side view, e) is a bottom view. It is a figure which shows the modification of the optical fiber connection component which concerns on the 5th Embodiment of this invention, (a) is a top view, (b) is a three-dimensional view, (c) is a front view, (d) is a side view FIG. 4E is a bottom view. It is a figure which shows the optical module which joined the optical fiber to the optical fiber connection component of FIG. 19, (a) is a top view, (b) is a three-dimensional view, (c) is a front view, (d) is a side view, e) is a bottom view. It is a figure which shows the optical module which joined the optical fiber to the optical fiber connection component of FIG. 19, (a) is a top view, (b) is a three-dimensional view, (c) is a front view, (d) is a side view, e) is a bottom view. It is a figure which shows the optical module which joined the optical fiber to the optical fiber connection component of FIG. 19, (a) is a top view, (b) is a three-dimensional view, (c) is a front view, (d) is a side view, e) is a bottom view. It is a figure which shows the conventional optical fiber, (a) is a cross-sectional view of a single core optical fiber, (b) is a cross-sectional view of a multi-core optical fiber. It is a figure which shows the conventional optical fiber connection component, (a) is a top view, (b) is a side view, (c) is a three-dimensional view. It is a figure which shows the optical module which joined the single core optical fiber of Fig.24 (a) to the optical fiber connection component of FIG. It is a figure explaining the problem of the optical fiber connection component of FIG. 25, (a) is a front view, (b) is a three-dimensional view, (c) is a bottom view, (d) is a principal part enlarged view.

  Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a view showing an optical fiber connecting part according to a first embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a top view, (b) is a front view, (c) is a side view, and (d) is a side view. A three-dimensional view, (e) is a bottom view.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the optical fiber connection component 1 according to the first embodiment is formed so as to penetrate from a ferrule 3 to an end surface (bottom surface) 2 on one end side of the ferrule 3 to the other end side (bottom surface). 3 is an optical fiber connecting component 1 including a guide hole for guiding an optical fiber inserted from one end side of the ferrule 3 to an end face 2 on the other end side of the ferrule 3.

  A guide hole 4 formed in the ferrule 3 is provided on one end side of the ferrule 3 to insert an optical fiber into the ferrule 3, and an optical fiber insertion hole on the other end side of the ferrule 3. 6 is provided with an inner diameter smaller than 6, and is provided between a light incident / exit hole 5 for entering and exiting light at the end face 2 on the other end side of the ferrule 3, and between the optical fiber insertion hole 6 and the light incident / exit hole 5. A shape-changing hole 7 whose shape is changed so that its inner diameter gradually decreases from the optical fiber insertion hole 6 to the light incident / exit hole 5 is formed.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 1B, the shape change hole 7 is shifted in the direction (restraint direction) in which the central axis of the light incident / exit hole 5 is restrained with respect to the central axis of the optical fiber insertion hole 6. The shape has changed so as to be located. That is, in the optical fiber connecting component 1, the center position 8 of the optical fiber insertion hole 6 for inserting the optical fiber is shifted from the center position 9 of the light incident / exit hole 5 for entering / exiting the light of the optical fiber to / from the ferrule 3 outside. It is a thing. In addition, the shape changing hole 7 may be changed in shape so that the central axis of the light incident / exiting hole 5 is shifted in a direction perpendicular to the central axis of the optical fiber insertion hole 6. Further, as shown in FIGS. 1B to 1D, the shape change hole 7 is preferably formed so that the inclination angle of the inner surface with respect to the optical fiber insertion direction differs in the circumferential direction.

  The shape change hole 7 is for gently connecting the light incident / exit hole 5 and the optical fiber insertion hole 6. When the shape change hole 7 is not provided, a step is generated in the guide hole 4 because the light incident / exit hole 5 and the optical fiber insertion hole 6 are different in size. When a step is generated in the guide hole 4, when the optical fiber is inserted into the guide hole 4, the tip of the optical fiber is caught by the step and it becomes difficult to insert the optical fiber up to the light incident / exit hole 5. That is, the shape change hole 7 is for facilitating insertion of the optical fiber into the guide hole 4.

  The bottom face (light incident / exit end face) 2 on the other end side of the ferrule 3 is connected to, for example, the conventional ferrule shown in FIG. 25 or the like or an optical element provided on a substrate (not shown). When connecting to the substrate, for example, it is preferable to connect via a member such as a lens base.

  The diameter of the optical fiber insertion hole 6 is gradually increased toward one end side (upper side in the drawing) into which the optical fiber is inserted, so that the optical fiber can be easily inserted into the optical fiber insertion hole 6.

  FIGS. 2 and 3 show the restraint state of the single-core optical fiber 244 in the optical module 26 in which the single-fiber optical fiber 244 of FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, when the single-core optical fiber 244 is bonded to the optical fiber connecting part 1, first, the coating of the single-core optical fiber 244 (the low Young's modulus layer 242 and the high Young's layer in FIG. 24A) is used. The cladding layer 243) is removed to expose the cladding 241. Next, the adhesive material 10 is filled into the guide hole 4, and then the single-core optical fiber 244 is inserted into the guide hole 4 filled with the adhesive material 10. After insertion of the single-core optical fiber 244, the adhesive 10 filled in the guide hole 4 is cured. Thereafter, the bottom surface 2 of the ferrule 3 is polished so that the end surfaces of the core 240 and the clad 241 of the single-core optical fiber 244 are exposed on the same surface as the bottom surface 2. Through the above process, the single-core optical fiber 244 is bonded to the optical fiber connecting component 1.

  In the optical fiber connecting component 1, since the center positions 8 and 9 of the light incident / exit hole 5 and the optical fiber insertion hole 6 are shifted, the single-core optical fiber 244 is fixed in a bent state inside the ferrule 3. That is, the single optical fiber 244 is bent at the connection portion (that is, the shape change hole 7) between the light incident / exit hole 5 and the optical fiber insertion hole 6, and the position of the single optical fiber 244 is determined by the bending stress. 5 can be restrained in a certain direction.

  As described above, according to the optical fiber connecting component 1, the end face of the optical fiber can be easily and reproducibly arranged at a predetermined position on the end face 2 of the ferrule 3.

  However, when the single-core optical fiber 244 with the coating removed is used, there is a concern that the single-core optical fiber 244 may be disconnected due to bending because there is no coating. This is because the glass surface is scratched when the coating is removed, and the scratch develops due to bending stress and breaks. In particular, as shown in FIG. 3C, at the contact points 11 and 12 of the clad 241 of the single-core optical fiber 244 that is in contact with the inner surface of the light incident / exit hole 5, the glass and the ferrule 3 come into contact and the bending stress is concentrated. . Therefore, the possibility of breakage is further increased.

  Further, when a single-core optical fiber 244, which is a normal optical fiber, is bonded to the optical fiber connection component 1, the coating of the first layer of the single-core optical fiber 244 has a low Young's modulus (in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber). In order to reduce the microbend loss due to the side pressure, it is difficult to remove only the second layer coating.

  Therefore, it is preferable to use an optical fiber as shown in FIG. 4 in order to accurately arrange the optical fibers on the bottom surface 2 of the ferrule 3 without exposing the glass part (cladding part) of the optical fiber.

  In the present invention, the core 13, the clad 14 formed on the outer periphery of the core 13, the high Young's modulus layer 15 formed on the outer periphery of the clad 14, and the low Young's modulus layer formed on the outer periphery of the high Young's modulus layer 15. 16 and a single-core optical fiber 18 comprising a high Young's modulus layer 17 formed on the outer periphery of the low Young's modulus layer 16, or a core 13, a cladding 14 formed on the outer periphery of the core 13, and an outer periphery of the cladding 14 A plurality of optical fibers 19 composed of a high Young's modulus layer 15 formed in a plurality of rows are arranged in a line, and then a multi-core optical fiber (tape-shaped optical fiber) 22 that is sequentially coated with a low Young's modulus layer 20 and a high Young's modulus layer 21. Is used.

  The high Young's modulus layer 15 desirably has a Young's modulus of 100 MPa or more in consideration of the polishing properties at the bottom surface 2 of the ferrule 3 and the prevention of deformation of the coating shape due to bending stress inside the ferrule 3.

  The low Young's modulus layers 16 and 20 are formed by the coating removal property of the low Young's modulus layers 16 and 20, the stress concentration relaxation at the coating removal portion when the optical fiber is bent inside the ferrule 3, and the lateral pressure outside the ferrule 3. It is desirable to have a Young's modulus of 10 MPa or less for the purpose of reducing the microbend loss.

  Since the high Young's modulus layers 17 and 21 have the purpose of maintaining the shape of the optical fiber structure, it is desirable to have a Young's modulus of 50 MPa or more.

  It is further desirable that the outermost coating layer (that is, the high Young's modulus layer 17 or the high Young's modulus layer 21) or all of these coating layers have flame retardancy.

  When using an optical fiber having such a structure (here, a single-core optical fiber 18 as an example), after removing the coating layer other than the high Young's modulus layer 15 at the tip, it is inserted into the optical fiber connection part 1, As shown in FIG. 5, the installation position of the optical fiber can be constrained on the bottom surface 2 of the ferrule 3 without exposing the glass portion of the optical fiber inside the ferrule 3. At this time, as shown in FIG. 6, it is possible to prevent the glass portion of the single-core optical fiber 18 from coming into direct contact with the ferrule 3 by the first coating (high Young's modulus layer 15). Further, in the local bending portion 23 from which the second layer coating (low Young's modulus layer 16) and the third layer coating (high Young's modulus layer 17) are removed, stress due to bending is concentrated. Since it has a low Young's modulus, it is possible to alleviate stress concentration.

  In the optical fiber connecting component 1 of the present invention, the conditions under which the optical fiber is restrained inside the ferrule 3 are L1> L4 and L2> L3 as shown in FIG. Here, L1, L2, L3, and L4 are as follows in the case of the structure of FIG.

L1: Maximum distance between the outermost coated surface (high Young's modulus layer 17) and the first coated surface (high Young's modulus layer 15) L2: The outermost coated surface (high Young's modulus layer 17) and the first coated surface (high Minimum distance of Young's modulus layer 15) L3: Shortest distance between the optical fiber insertion hole 6 surface and the light incident / exit hole 5 surface in the X-axis direction in the figure L4: L3 + light incident / exit hole 5 dimensions The fiber is restrained inside the ferrule 3.

  Here, when the single-core optical fiber 18 is inserted from the optical fiber insertion hole 6 between the optical fiber insertion hole 6 and the light incident / exit hole 5 in the Y-axis direction in FIG. The shape of the single-core optical fiber 18 from which the (low Young's modulus layer 16) and the third layer coating (high Young's modulus layer 17) have been removed is gradually changed in order to facilitate insertion into the optical fiber insertion hole 6. Is desirable.

  Moreover, the structure of the optical fiber connecting component 1 according to the first embodiment is such that the lens 24 integrally formed on the bottom surface 2 of the ferrule 3 facing the end surface of the guide hole 4 is formed as shown in FIGS. The present invention can also be applied to a structure having the same. At this time, the material of the ferrule 3 is preferably a material that transmits light, for example, a material such as Ultem. For fixing the ferrule 3 and the optical fiber 25 (single-core optical fibers 18, 244 or multiple-core optical fibers 22, 246), a thermosetting resin or a UV curable resin can be used. When a UV curable resin is used, the material of the ferrule 3 is a material that transmits UV light, such as an acrylic resin, a polycarbonate resin, an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer synthetic resin (ABS resin), a polyphenylene sulfide resin (PPS resin). ) Is desirable. This is because the UV curable resin cannot be cured unless the ferrule 3 transmits UV. In particular, from the viewpoint of flame retardancy, polycarbonate resin, ABS resin, and PPS resin are preferable.

  In short, according to the optical fiber connection component 1 according to the first embodiment, the center position 8 of the optical fiber insertion hole 6 into which the optical fiber is inserted, and the light input that enters and outputs the light from the optical fiber to the outside of the ferrule 3. Since the center position 9 of the exit hole 5 is deviated, the optical fiber is forced to bend inside the ferrule 3 and the end face of the optical fiber is constrained to a fixed position of the light entrance / exit hole 5 on the bottom surface 2 of the ferrule 3. Can be installed. As described above, since the end face of the optical fiber can be placed at a fixed position, the optical module can be manufactured with good reproducibility without depending on the size of the light incident / exit hole 5. Therefore, the manufacturing yield can be improved and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

  Next, an optical fiber connecting component according to the second embodiment will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the optical fiber connection component 30 according to the second embodiment is for making a multi-core optical fiber (tape-shaped optical fiber) 22 into a connector.

  Similar to the optical fiber connection component 1 according to the first embodiment, the optical fiber connection component 30 according to the second embodiment includes a ferrule 32 and the other end side from one end side (the upper side in the drawing) of the ferrule 32. A guide hole 33 is formed so as to penetrate to the end face (bottom face) 31 and guides the tape-like optical fiber inserted from one end side of the ferrule 32 to the end face 31 on the other end side of the ferrule 32.

  A guide hole 33 formed in the ferrule 32 is provided on one end side of the ferrule 32, and an optical fiber insertion hole 36 for inserting a tape-like optical fiber into the ferrule 32, and on the other end side of the ferrule 32. A light incident / exit hole 34 that is provided with an inner diameter smaller than that of the optical fiber insertion hole 36 and receives light at the other end face 31 of the ferrule 32, and the optical fiber insertion hole 36 and the light incident / exit hole 34. And a shape change hole 35 whose shape has been changed so that its inner diameter gradually decreases from the optical fiber insertion hole 36 to the light incident / exit hole 34.

  As shown in FIG. 10A, the shape changing hole 35 is a direction in which the central axis of the light incident / exit hole 34 restrains the tape-shaped optical fiber with respect to the central axis of the optical fiber insertion hole 36 (constraint direction). The shape changes so as to be shifted to the position.

  More specifically, it includes a ferrule 32 having a bottom surface 31 that is horizontal with respect to a substrate (not shown), and a guide hole 33 that is formed in the ferrule 32 and in which the tape-shaped optical fiber 22 is disposed. It is connected to the arrayed optical element on the substrate.

  The guide hole 33 makes the end face of the tape-like optical fiber 22 face the array-like optical element at the bottom surface 31 of the ferrule 32 facing the substrate so that the incident / exit light from the tape-like optical fiber 22 enters and exits the array-like optical element. The light incident / exit hole 34 having a square cross section to be held and formed larger than the light incident / exit hole 34 and shifted from the center position of the light incident / exit hole 34 to guide insertion of the tape-shaped optical fiber 22. An optical fiber insertion hole 36 in which an opening 35 at the lower end is formed in a square cross section; and a shape change hole 35 for gently guiding the tape-like optical fiber 22 inserted from the optical fiber insertion hole 36 to the light incident / exit hole 34; Is provided.

  That is, the optical fiber connecting component 30 is light that enters and exits the optical fiber light to and from the ferrule 32 at the center position 38 of the optical fiber insertion hole 36 for inserting the optical fiber, similarly to the optical fiber connecting component 1 of FIG. The tape-like optical fiber 22 is shifted from the center position 39 of the incident / exit hole 34 in the thickness direction and the width direction.

  Similarly to the optical fiber connection component 1, the shape changing hole 35 restrains the tape-shaped optical fiber inserted into the guide hole 33 with the central axis of the light incident / exit hole 34 relative to the central axis of the optical fiber insertion hole 36. It is preferable that the shape is changed so as to be shifted in the direction (restraint direction). Further, as shown in FIGS. 10A to 10D, the shape change hole 35 is formed so that the inclination angle of the inner surface thereof is different in the circumferential direction with respect to the insertion direction of the tape-shaped optical fiber. preferable.

  FIG. 11 shows an optical module 40 in which the tape-like optical fiber 22 of FIG. 4B is bonded to the optical fiber connection component 30, and FIG. 12 shows a cross-sectional structure thereof.

  In this way, by shifting the centers of the optical fiber insertion hole 36 and the light incident / exit hole 34, the low Young modulus layer 20 and the high Young modulus layer 21 at the tip of the tape-shaped optical fiber 22 are removed, and this is connected to the optical fiber. When inserted into the guide hole 33 of the component 30, the tape-shaped optical fiber 22 is bent inside the ferrule 32, and the position of each core 13 of the tape-shaped optical fiber 22 is set at the corner of the light incident / exit hole 34 on the bottom surface 31 of the ferrule 32. The cores 13 of the tape-shaped optical fiber 22 can be arranged with high accuracy.

  Here, the conditions in which the tape-shaped optical fiber 22 is constrained inside the ferrule 3 in both the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction are L1X> L4X, L2X> L3X, L1Y> L4Y, and L2Y, as shown in FIG. > L3Y.

  Here, L1X, L2X, L3X, L4X, and L1Y, L2Y, L3Y, L4Y are as follows in the structure of FIG.

L1X: Maximum distance between the outermost coated surface (high Young's modulus layer 21) and the first layer coated surface (high Young's modulus layer 15) in the X-axis direction of FIG. 12 L2X: Outermost coating in the X-axis direction of FIG. Minimum distance between the surface (high Young's modulus layer 21) and the first coated surface (high Young's modulus layer 15) L3X: the shortest distance between the optical fiber insertion hole 36 surface and the light incident / exit hole 34 surface in the X-axis direction of FIG. L4X: L3X + light incident / exit hole 34 dimension in the X-axis direction of FIG. 12 L1Y: Outermost coated surface (high Young's modulus layer 21) and first coated surface (high Young's modulus layer 15) in the Y-axis direction of FIG. L2Y: minimum distance between the outermost coated surface (high Young's modulus layer 21) and the first layer coated surface (high Young's modulus layer 15) in the Y-axis direction of FIG. 12 L3Y: in the Y-axis direction of FIG. The shortest distance between the optical fiber insertion hole 36 surface and the light incident / exit hole 34 surface L 4Y: L3X + light entrance / exit hole 34 dimensions in the Y-axis direction of FIG. 12. By satisfying this condition, the optical fiber is restrained inside the ferrule 32.

  According to the optical fiber connection component 30 according to the second embodiment, similarly to the optical fiber connection component 1, the optical fiber end surface is constrained and installed at a fixed position of the light incident / exit hole 34 on the bottom surface 31 of the ferrule 32. be able to. As described above, since the end face of the optical fiber can be constrained to be installed at a fixed position, the optical module can be manufactured with good reproducibility without depending on the size of the light incident / exit hole 34. Therefore, the manufacturing yield of the optical module can be improved and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

  Next, an optical fiber connecting component according to the third embodiment will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 13, the optical fiber connecting component 50 according to the third embodiment is formed by forming four guide holes 33 in a ferrule 52 having a bottom surface 51 that is horizontal with respect to a substrate (not shown). The set of tape-like optical fibers 22 is connected to the array-like optical elements on the substrate all together.

  FIG. 14 shows an optical module 53 in which the tape-like optical fiber 22 is bonded to each guide hole 33 of the optical fiber connection component 50.

  As shown in FIG. 14, by bonding the tape-shaped optical fiber 22 to the optical fiber connection component 50, the arrangement of the 16 cores 13 does not depend on the size of the light incident / exit holes 34 in the bottom surface 51, and the core The cores 13 can be arranged with high accuracy by accurately creating only the apex position 54 (see FIG. 13) of the light incident / exit hole 34 that restrains 13. Here, by making the outer diameter of the high Young's modulus layer 15 of each single-core optical fiber (core 13, clad 14, high Young's modulus layer 15) appearing on the bottom surface 51 the same as the pitch at which the cores 13 are arranged, In 51, the cores 13 can be arranged with higher accuracy.

  Next, an optical fiber connecting component according to the fourth embodiment will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 15, in the optical fiber connection component 60 according to the fourth embodiment, in the optical fiber connection component 30, the optical fiber insertion hole 36 vertically guides the inserted optical fiber (tape-shaped optical fiber). It is formed to have a vertical surface 61 and an arc surface 63 that is opposed to the vertical surface 61 and is formed in an arc shape from the light incident / exit hole 34 to one end side (the upper side in the drawing) of the ferrule 62. It is a thing.

  The vertical surface 61 has a function of guiding the thickness direction of the tape-shaped optical fiber 22 when the tape-shaped optical fiber 22 is inserted into the guide hole 64, and the arc surface 63 has a function of guiding the tape-shaped optical fiber 22 to the guide hole 64. After insertion, the tape-like optical fiber 22 is bent (for example, bent at approximately 90 degrees) and disposed.

  FIG. 16 shows an optical module 65 in which the tape-like optical fiber 22 is joined to the guide hole 64 of the optical fiber connecting component 60 along the circular arc surface 63, and FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, even when the tape-like optical fiber 22 is taken out perpendicular to the light incident / exit direction of the ferrule 62 (direction perpendicular to the bottom surface 66), the installation position of each core 13 on the bottom surface 66 of the ferrule 62. Can be restrained.

  Further, in the optical fiber connecting component 60, as shown in FIG. 18, the tape-shaped optical fiber 22 is joined to the guide hole 64 along the vertical surface 61, so that the optical fiber connecting components 30, FIG. Similarly to 50, the tape-like optical fiber 22 can be taken out in parallel with the light incident / exit direction of the ferrule 62.

  Next, an optical fiber connecting component according to a fifth embodiment will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 19, an optical fiber connecting component 70 according to the fifth embodiment is formed by forming four guide holes 64 in a ferrule 72 having a bottom surface 71 horizontal to a substrate (not shown). The set of tape-like optical fibers 22 is connected to the array-like optical elements on the substrate all together.

  The ferrule 72 includes a hole 73 in consideration of fitting (bonding and alignment) with a substrate on which an arrayed optical element is mounted or a similar optical fiber connection component (ferrule), and a pin 74 as shown in FIG. It is good to be formed.

  Examples of joining the tape-like optical fiber 22 to the optical fiber connecting component 70 are shown in FIGS.

  As shown in FIG. 21, all the tape-shaped optical fibers 22 × 4 sets may be taken out in parallel with the light incident / exit direction, or as shown in FIG. You may make it take out perpendicular | vertical to an entrance / exit direction, and as shown in FIG. 23, you may make it take out tape-like optical fiber 22x2 set perpendicular | vertical to an optical entrance / exit direction, and the other 2 sets in parallel. Good.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

1 Optical fiber connection part 2 Bottom face 3 Ferrule 4 Guide hole 5 Light incident / exit hole 6 Optical fiber insertion hole 7 Shape change hole

Claims (9)

Ferrules,
A guide hole that is formed so as to penetrate from one end side of the ferrule to the end face on the other end side, and guides the tape-like optical fiber inserted from one end side of the ferrule to the end face on the other end side of the ferrule;
An optical fiber connecting component comprising:
The guide hole is
An optical fiber insertion hole formed on one end side of the ferrule, for inserting the tape-like optical fiber into the ferrule;
A light incident / exit hole having a quadrangular cross section for entering and exiting light at an end surface on the other end side of the ferrule, formed on the other end side of the ferrule and having an inner diameter smaller than the optical fiber insertion hole;
It is arranged between the optical fiber insertion hole and the light incident / exit hole, and its shape changes so that its inner diameter gradually decreases toward the light incident / exit hole, and the optical fiber insertion hole and the light A shape change hole that communicates with the input and output holes;
Consists of
The shape changing hole is changed in shape so that the central axis of the light incident / exit hole is shifted in a direction of restraining the tape-shaped optical fiber with respect to the central axis of the optical fiber insertion hole, and The inclination angle of the inner surface with respect to the insertion direction of the tape-shaped optical fiber is different in the circumferential direction,
An optical fiber connection for a tape-shaped optical fiber, wherein a center position of the optical fiber insertion hole is shifted from a center position of the light incident / exit hole in a thickness direction and a width direction of the tape-shaped optical fiber. parts.   The optical fiber insertion hole is a vertical surface that guides the tape-shaped optical fiber to be inserted vertically, and a surface that faces the vertical surface, and is arcuate from the light incident / exit hole to one end of the ferrule. An optical fiber connection part for a tape-like optical fiber according to claim 1, comprising: an arcuate surface formed on the tape. The guide hole, the optical fiber connection component for tape-like optical fiber of claim 1, wherein the direction of the cross section perpendicular consisting rectangular shape with respect to the insertion direction of the tape-shaped optical fiber.   The said ferrule is an optical fiber connection component for tape-shaped optical fibers in any one of Claims 1-3 which has the lens integrally formed in the end surface of the said other end side.   The optical fiber connection part for tape-shaped optical fibers according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the ferrule is formed of a material that transmits UV light.   The said ferrule is an optical fiber connection component for tape-shaped optical fibers in any one of Claims 1-4 in which the hole or pin for joining with a board | substrate is formed in the end surface of the said other end side.   The said ferrule is an optical fiber connection component for tape-shaped optical fibers according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a plurality of said guide holes are formed.   In the tape-shaped optical fiber, the coating layer at the tip located on the other end side of the ferrule is removed, and each optical fiber constituting the tape-shaped optical fiber is separated at the tip, and the tape-like optical fiber is separated. The optical fiber connection part for tape-shaped optical fibers according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the positions of the respective cores of the optical fiber are collectively restrained at the corners of the one light incident / exit hole.   A tape-shaped optical fiber comprising: the optical fiber connection component according to any one of claims 1 to 8; and a tape-shaped optical fiber inserted into a guide hole formed in the optical fiber connection member. Optical module.

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